


Among Mortal Men

by MonnKoneko



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Gore, Disturbing Themes, Heavy Angst, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Moral Ambiguity, Mythology References, Possibly Offensive Use of Religious Imagery, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Romanticisation of Cigarettes, Urban Fantasy, Violence, firearms, i don't want to spoil anything in tags its intentionally vague
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-16 03:42:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29694522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonnKoneko/pseuds/MonnKoneko
Summary: Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.- Matthew 5:10, The Bible~Hinata Shoyou is a broke college student. Sawamura Daichi is in his first year in the police force. Enigma Kageyama Tobio enters their lives, and they are quickly thrust into a world of magic and are entwined in a war born from fragmented history. A self-indulgent Urban Fantasy Haikyuu AU.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	1. The Raven

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on Twitter: @juzb_24 for updates! <3

Hazy, dark clouds curled from between his fingertips and faded into the twilight. Oikawa took a final puff of the cigarette. The last of the burning taste lingered in his deep inhale, settling on his lips before he threw the glowing stub on the ground and crushed it with his feet. The chirp of a thousand cicadas enveloped the air, and Oikawa took solace in their gleeful buzz, filling the otherwise silent, eerie scene. 

For a brief moment, the sky appeared to light up, as if lightning had struck. Oikawa instinctively shifted his head to the clouds, expecting the subsequent clap of thunder. 

It never came. 

The air turned sharp, startlingly sharp. The smell of an oncoming thunderstorm, something he thought he had left behind in Tokyo. The cicadas had ceased their repetitive song, and the dusk was deathly quiet. 

It felt strange, confusing. 

He attributed it to the rush of nicotine but even more to his tipsiness, a reasonable assumption considering the large bottle of Portuguese vodka he was fumbling with right now. But things are never as simple as they seem, and Oikawa seemed to realise this upon reaching a small bridge over a creek on his way back home. 

The pungent, sharp odour still permeated the air to a nauseating degree that he would rather breathe tobacco. Oikawa rummaged his pockets for another cigarette as he leaned over the bridge’s railing, and found himself staring at the flowing stream beneath him. 

The smell of the oncoming thunderstorm dissipated. Maybe it was the cigarette, but Oikawa soon came to a startling halt of realisation watching the water lazily make its way through the rocks. The words of an old teacher echoed in his head. 

_Running water stifles most magic to a degree._

Oikawa searched his pockets and brandished a small mirror. It was no larger than his palm, but it would do its job effectively. He stared intensely at his own sloppy reflection. The mirror showed only the top half of his face, but Oikawa made sure that it knew the sight of his own mahogany eyes well. 

Without missing a beat, he threw the mirror onto the ground, stomping on it with his feet for good measure. The shards burst into an array of colour, and Oikawa, albeit hesitantly, allowed himself to feel vulnerable for the first time in many years. 

Energy blossomed around him. Energy that moulded itself into familiar magic. It was magic he’d be able to recognise anywhere. Magic he was once intimate with, a long time ago, that played the strings of his heart to a beautiful melody. 

It was magic that could belong only to one person. 

_Iwaizumi Hajime_. 

Every magician had their own unique signature, and this was no exception. Had it not been stifled by the stream, it was a calming, soothing flow of energy capable of transforming into an ecstasy that would make you lose your inhibition for eternity and drown you in paradise. Oikawa was not an untrained magician by any circumstances, but even he would have trouble fending it off if used against him. 

Fortunately for Oikawa, the effects of the signature were not for him. 

These were wards. 

Protective, encapsulating bindings of magic that muffled, concealed and hid even those in the plainest of sight. It told everyone outside of the wards to ‘stay out of the way, there’s nothing extraordinary to be found here’. 

Oikawa laughed. It was a bitter laugh, tinged with fondness. It had been long enough. Turning around, he found a tanuki sitting politely, staring at Oikawa with its beady, dark eyes. 

There were no tanukis in Brazil. 

The tanuki let out a soft whine. Oikawa spoke up. 

“What are you doing here, Hajime?” 

The tanuki grotesquely shimmered in and out of existence, akin to the static of vintage television. Instead, it was replaced by the glowing, gently translucent figure of Iwaizumi Hajime. He was dressed for winter, donning a thick coat and a scarf; a stark contrast to the tank top and shorts Oikawa wore. 

“What do you think? You’re supposed to be the smart one, Shitty-kawa,” Iwaizumi grumbled, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Why do _you_ think I’m here?” 

Oikawa was taken aback, and rightfully so. They hadn’t seen each other in years, and whatever reunion Oikawa imagined they would have didn’t involve any venom. But here it was in Iwaizumi’s words, and Oikawa did _not_ want to succumb to it. 

Fine. If that was how it was going to be. 

“Oh, If I were to hazard a guess, something happened in Tokyo,” Oikawa replied, his expression morphing from surprise into a sneer. “Something your pathetic magic couldn’t handle.” 

“Well at least we’re on the same page,” Iwaizumi said flatly. 

“On the same page about ‘Why you’re here’ or about being a dickhead to one another?” 

Iwaizumi sighed. 

“What are you doing, Tooru? You’re living in this third-class city, smelling like alcohol and picking some random chick to fuck every night. You get failing grades every semester, and you’re passed out on some park bench every week or so.” 

Oikawa’s eyes narrowed, gripping the neck of his bottle tightly. 

“How do you know all this, Hajime?” Oikawa growled. “I told you and Tobio those years ago to _leave me alone_.” 

“You told us to forget about you!” Iwaizumi yelled, his eyes glistening. “Bullshit if you think we would have let you go that easily. It’s been five years Lazykawa, and you’re in over your head.” 

“Is that really all you came here for then?” Oikawa spat, pushing Iwaizumi aside. “If all you came here for is to tell me how fucked up my life has gotten, then I’m leaving.” 

Tears streamed down Oikawa’s face as he staggered towards the end of the small bridge, out of the wards that concealed and muffled their conversation to passerby. 

“The Fallen have started coming back to Tokyo,” Iwaizumi finally said. “Tobio’s on the trail of one right now.” 

Oikawa sucked in a sharp breath at the mention of his kouhai’s name. Even worse, his kouhai’s _first name_. A pang of jealousy wrung his heart, followed by his own sigh of relief. 

_Thank god._ Oikawa thought to himself, although he would never admit it. _He made it._

In another life, Oikawa would have turned around, and returned to Tokyo with Hajime. The war against the Fallen had raged on for centuries. It was a war he once swore to fight, the penultimate oath of the magician he once was. 

He knew exactly what was being asked of him, all he needed to do was agree. 

Instead, he decided to laugh. It was a bitter laugh. The same bitter laugh he began this conversation with, and it told Iwaizumi enough. 

“You’re really not coming back, are you? Even after finding out about the goddamned Fallen,” Iwaizumi said, throwing his hands up in desperation. Oikawa could hear his voice breaking. Oikawa wanted to cry. _Oikawa should be turning around, running into his arms_. 

“I’m sure you and Tobio-chan can handle things _just fine,_ ”instead said Oikawa bitterly. 

“Fine.” 

“Fine!” Oikawa was not _fine_. He was just too much of a coward to admit so. 

“The next time we meet, I’ll be a stranger. You wouldn’t be able to recognise even my face,” Iwaizumi's voice was softer now, and Oikawa could hear held-back tears. “You know the rules, you’re breaking your oath.” 

Oikawa could feel his heart breaking, but no words came out of his mouth. 

“Goodbye Oikawa-san.” 

The wards collapsed and the buzz of cicadas filled the night once more. Gone was the familiar energy, the intimate magic that tugged at Oikawa’s heart, it was only now that he realised just how he longed for it. 

He would turn around at some point, to look back at the bridge with a sliver of hope that Hajime—no—Iwaizumi would be there waiting. 

But it was too late. 

So Oikawa knelt there, on the concrete footpath, and drowned in his own tears and the sharp taste of alcohol. And there was evening, and there was morning, by the end of which Oikawa Tooru would have no recollection of the dusk before. 

Oikawa would not even remember the delicate strokes of which kanji he once wanted to change his surname to. Later on, at the zenith of the sun, the kanji would briefly appear at the forefront of his thoughts, but its significance would be all but lost. 

**岩泉**

* * *

Kageyama Tobio held the phone up to his ear. He walked towards the nearest train station through a nearby park, stepping in sync with the phone’s ringing. Looking ahead, he could see the park’s sparse winter greenery framed by Tokyo’s concrete jungle. 

The line connected. 

“Hello?” 

_Good evening Tobio, perfect timing._

“Good evening, Iwaizumi-senpai,” Kageyama greeted. “I’ve managed to track down the first one.” 

_Good job._ Iwaizumi replied. _I needed some good news today._

“I’m guessing Oikawa’s gone forever then,” Kageyama said. 

There was a brief silence as Kageyama stopped in his tracks beneath a large evergreen tree, its leaves and branches shifting under the weight of heavy snow. He cleared his throat, trying for a more apologetic tone. 

“I’m sorry, that was blunt of me.” 

_No worries, Tobio. I think we both knew that was going to happen._

Kageyama desperately wanted to be wrong, for his expectations to be subverted when it came to Oikawa. Instead, he found himself hastily blinking back tears underneath the snow-laden tree. 

_Enough about Oikawa._ Iwaizumi said. There was a new strength and composure in his voice that Kageyama could not decipher. 

Iwaizumi’s voice sounded well and truly done with the topic, so Kageyama switched gears. He forced himself to continue walking, no matter how shaken he felt. He had walked far enough that his path through the park had ended, and now he found himself on a bustling main road. 

_About the Fallen you tracked. Do you know what it manifested as this time?_

“Yes,” Kageyama said, although the growing crowd of people walking beside him warranted a reply in French as opposed to his usual Japanese. “The one I found was like a miniature Lovecraftian horror, it escaped before I could banish it but it’ll be easier to mitigate the damage to the mortal world.” 

_Good._ Iwaizumi paused, before replying. _Why are you speaking in French?_

“Because I’m walking to the station and I don’t want anyone to hear me,” Kageyama said matter-of-factly. 

_As if anyone would care if they heard you talking about ‘Lovecraftian horrors’, I doubt they would even know what it meant._ Iwaizumi teased. 

“I don’t particularly want people to think I’m crazy.” 

_Anybody who knows just how terrible your French is would definitely think you’re crazy._

“Shut up,” Kageyama hissed into the phone, the sound of laughter audible from the speakers. “Why are you like this, Iwaizumi?” 

_I’m just trying to lighten the mood Tobio._ Iwaizumi said softly, though seemingly impossible, Kageyama swore he could hear the ghost of a smile from over the phone. _I just need a distraction from thinking about **him.**_

“Oh,” Kageyama hadn’t always been good with emotions. Sometimes the intricacies of a normal conversation evaded him. This time, it took a little longer for the pieces to click. 

“I’m sorry, Iwaizumi-senpai,” Kageyama was aware that his gaze had wandered to his own shoes stepping through the already disappearing snowfall. “I really am.” 

On the other line, Iwaizumi said absolutely nothing. 

“Iwaizumi-senpai?” 

_Oh. Sorry, Tobio. I lost myself in my thoughts._

“I’ll take over your shift at the shop tonight,” Kageyama said resolutely. “You should go home, we can take care of the Fallen tomorrow.” 

_Oh, Kageyama._ Iwaizumi began. _You really don’t need to—_

“No. I’ll take over your shift. Go home, Iwaizumi-senpai,” Kageyama demanded, though he was surprised at himself for doing so. In his words, he heard the same undecipherable strength and composure Kageyama had heard from Iwaizumi. 

Except now, Kageyama knew what it was. 

Determination, the drive to move forward. 

It took a little bit longer for the pieces to click, as always. 

“Take care of yourself, Iwaizumi-senpai.” 

On the other side of the line came a sigh. 

_Thank you, Tobio._

“Anytime, I’ll talk to you soon Iwaizumi-senpai.” 

_And to you._

The line cut off as Kageyama reached the train station, and he pocketed his phone as he made his way through to the platform. The place was filled to the brim with people, as normal, but Kageyama considered it part of the city’s identity. 

It would be a few minutes before the train would arrive, so Kageyama seized the precious time. He found himself in an unoccupied seat on a bench and laid back. 

To the passerby, he’d appear to be asleep. He was resting his eyes after a long day at work or school or whatever somebody Kageyama’s age did that would make him so exhausted. 

A magician would see it differently. They would see Kageyama’s signature pulsate like a heartbeat, pumping pure energy through ley lines that breached the ground, the sea and the sky of Tokyo. 

His raw power was commanding, and, at its peak potential, inhumane. 

But Kageyama was masterful, prodigious at his spellcraft and he harnessed his signature to impossible levels. 

From this train station bench, he could see all of Tokyo. 

He could observe, hear, smell, touch, and tail anyone or anything, anywhere in the vicinity of the city. _This_ is how he would find the Fallen. 

Kageyama could even see himself, sitting upon a bench on a platform of a train station, amongst a crowd of people, with passerby looking at him with sympathy. 

He saw all this, and many more across the cityscape from the eyes of ravens, the entire city’s worth completely under his control. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know if there are any other appropriate tags that can be added to this fic! Thank you so much for reading, criticism and comments are appreciated! Chapter 1 is being worked on and will hopefully be up sooner rather than later :))
> 
> Special and amazing thanks to a brilliant and amazing Beta Reader by the name of Keo! Without you, I don't think I ever would have published this fic, your feedback has been amazing and I'm so grateful for you taking the time to read through my work :))
> 
> EDIT: Chapter 1 is out! I would really appreciate if you liked my work enough to leave kudos :)


	2. Upon A Midnight Dreary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“How many people must there be, who are completely unknown in this world, but they are famous in the sky."_  
>  \- Nouman Ali Khan

“Sawamura-san?” Shoyou made his way into the small cafe. It was on the corner of a quiet street, known for being decorated with antique American furniture. Dangling from the ceiling were diecast model aeroplanes, on the countertop an old vintage television, and the walls were filled with old sepia posters. The chandelier-like lamps glowed warmly through the windows, illuminating the cafe in the cold, winter midnight. 

It was cosy, and it _definitely_ matched Shoyou’s aesthetic. But the best part about the cafe was that it was _far, far away_ from his apartment. 

It was empty save for a single booth, where Officer Sawamura Daichi sat, a steaming mug of coffee in front of him. 

“Ah, Hinata-kun,” Officer Sawamura gestured to the seat just across from him. “Please, sit down, would you like a coffee?” 

“Oh, no thanks,” Shoyou replied, slinging a heavy duffel bag off his shoulders into the soft, leather seat. “Thank you so much for meeting me here.” 

“Oh, that’s quite alright, I’m sorry this had to be so late,” Officer Sawamura smiled softly, yet his eyes looked solemn. From his pocket, he withdrew a notebook and from his ear, he found a pencil. “Are you ready to get started?” 

Shoyou shifted in his seat, clasping his fingers together. 

“I think so.” 

“We can take it slowly,” reassured Officer Sawamura. “It’s okay, I know these sort of things are hard to deal with.” 

“No, it’s fine,” Shoyou said, clenching his fingers. “I just thought I had left this behind in Miyagi.” 

Officer Sawamura raised an eyebrow but made no comment, instead choosing to note something down. 

“It started again last week,” Shoyou began. “There were these big scratch marks outside my apartment door and on the front door of the building.” 

“Scratch marks?” 

“Well not from an animal, it looks too big,” Shoyou said. “I suspect it’s from a knife or a machete, like someone carved it into my door.” 

Officer Sawamura nodded, writing into his notebook. 

“There are these symbols as well. They’re usually on the floor though, alongside some writing.” 

“Do you know what they mean? What does the writing say?” Officer Sawamura asked, his face unreadable. Shoyou noted the expression, police officers were trained to remain composed while hearing a witness, it was supposed to make you feel safer. 

Shoyou only felt even more anxious. 

“Well, I’m actually in university for a history major,” Shoyou explained. “So I’ve been doing some digging and as far as I can tell, the symbols _and_ the writing are from the Lesser Key of Solomon.” 

“I’m familiar,” Officer Sawamura said nonchalantly. 

“You’re familiar with the Lesser Key of Solomon?” Shoyou replied incredulously. 

“Um, well, not familiar per se,” Officer Sawamura laughed. “I’ve heard of it, but I don’t know what its contents specifically are.” 

“Oh,” Shoyou was almost disappointed, he liked geeking out over these things after all, but Officer Sawamura’s reaction coaxed a smile out of him. 

“So can you tell me what it’s about?” 

“Oh, yes! Of course,” Shoyou rummaged inside his duffel bag and pulled out a small copy of the book. “It’s a grimoire on demonology from the 17th century, it’s popular with religious fanatics nowadays.” 

“So you’re dealing with some sort of Satanic stalker?” 

“Well, not exactly _satanic_ , the Lesser Key is by an anonymous author who actually described seventy-two different demons in there. Besides modern satanism isn’t actually religiou—,” 

“You know what I meant Hinata-kun,” Officer Sawamura sighed, a hint of a smile on his lips. 

“Sorry,” Shoyou chuckled but the amusement disappeared quickly. “Well, you see, that’s not the part that concerns me Sawamura-san,” 

“Oh?” Officer Sawamura tilted his head. 

“The symbols, they’re branded into the floor, and what’s more...” Shoyou glanced out of the cafe’s windows, where several ravens were converged in a conspiracy, fighting over food scraps. They were entwined in a mesmerising dance as they squabbled, disappearing into the darkness before swooping into the light, their feathers refracting the cafe’s warm glow. 

Maybe it was his imagination, but for a brief moment, all the ravens seemed to snap their heads towards Shoyou, before returning to their showdown over the food scraps. 

“Hinata-kun?” 

“The writing, it’s all over the floor _and_ the walls,” Shoyou wouldn’t meet the Officer’s eyes. “I thought it was just red paint at first, but I took a little bit of it to the university’s labs, where a friend of mine works and—” 

“Its blood,” Officer Sawamura finished for him. “That’s very, very concerning indeed.” 

“It’s _human_ blood, Sawamura-san,” Shoyou’s voice trembled. “Now, I don’t know if it’s the blood of whoever’s stalking me or it’s someone else entirely.” 

“How long has this been going on for?” Office Sawamura asked calmly, and Shoyou felt a commanding finality to this question. 

“Since I was fifteen,” Shoyou replied. “It started in Miyagi where we grew up, but it stopped entirely when I left for Tokyo, but now it’s back.” 

“Are the scratches and symbols still at your apartment?” 

“Yes,” Shoyou admitted. “I left them alone, I haven’t been back since they appeared, I’ve been staying a hotel.” 

Officer Sawamura offered his hand for comfort, and Shoyou took it, his gaze still fixated on the ravens on the sidewalk. He couldn’t help but notice that the officer’s arms were sinewed, muscular and his grip was strong, hardened by his days of training as a police officer. 

“What I’m going to ask of you is going to be hard, Hinata-kun,” Officer Sawamura said gently. “But I’m going to have see this for myself to make a report, could you show me to your apartment?” 

“Of course.” Shoyou gulped. He had to return eventually, no matter how terrified he was. At least now, he was returning with help. 

“Shall we walk to the train station then?” 

* * *

“Hinata-kun?” Officer Sawamura spoke, filling the silence of what was otherwise a conversationless walk. “If this has been happening since you were fifteen, how come you’ve never told anyone about it?” 

“I told my parents,” Shoyou murmured. “They just cleaned it up and told me to stay safe, I’m sure they reported it to the police in Miyagi but nothing ever came of it.” 

“Ah,” Officer Sawamura remarked. It was a solemn acknowledgement, and that was all Shoyou had hoped for. He had spent enough time looking for pity. 

“There’s something else.” 

Truth be told, Shoyou didn’t know why he had chosen to speak. He had never told even his parents about this. 

“The scratch marks, the symbols, and the writing,” Shoyou’s voice wavered. “I feel when it’s going to happen.” 

Officer Sawamura raised his eyebrows. 

“How do you mean?” 

“I mean, the night before I always feel anxious, like my head’s underwater,” Shoyou explained. “I just have an innate feeling that something’s not right.” 

“Well,” Officer Sawamura began. “I don’t exactly understand why or how that might happen, but as humans we’ve kind of evolved to be sensitive to danger, maybe that’s it?” 

“Probably,” Shoyou lied. 

* * *

“Well, that’s strange,” Officer Sawamura remarked, and Shoyou agreed. He wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or spooked. The train station was completely deserted. Unusual, even at midnight, for such a busy district. 

“I guess it just isn’t rush hour? I’m sure there’d be more people down on the platform.” 

“Let’s see.” 

They reached the end of the stairway that led into the platform and found it similarly devoid of life, save for a singular raven on the far side of the platform, who promptly flew away carrying a packet of uneaten chips. 

Shoyou would have laughed. 

He would have. 

He really would have, had he not felt so _uneasy_ , so _anxious_ , and so _afraid_. 

“Hinata-kun?” Officer Sawamura asked, his otherwise stoic face betraying a look of similar uneasiness. “Are you okay?” 

“I—,” Shoyou stammered. “I’m fine, let’s find a seat,” 

They, unfortunately, did not find a seat. 

A shapeless mass leapt from the shadows of the subway’s tunnel, pouncing straight onto Shoyou. It growled a deep unsettling growl that shook Shoyou to the bones. 

“Sawamura-san!” Shoyou choked out a shrill cry, as the creature’s limbs held him down by his chest with unspeakable weight. 

The creature suddenly recoiled from Shoyou. 

“Hinata-kun!” yelled Officer Sawamura, discharging bullet after bullet into the creature, his hands shaking. The creature writhed from being shot, and it was the most nauseating thing Shoyou had ever seen. It quivered and collapsed on itself, leaking a thick and slimy substance like blood. 

He had never wanted to vomit more now than at any other time in his life. 

_“The next train arriving on Platform 7 is directed towards Nerima,”_ announced the speakers on the subway walls. The severe mundanity of the announcement in spite of the terror he was facing held him back from completely spewing his guts. 

Shoyou averted his eyes, choosing to focus on Officer Sawamura instead. He seemed just as disgusted at the scene in front of him, but Shoyou found his gaze drawn to the Officer’s arms. 

The Officer’s arms were _glowing_. Bright, golden lines crossing and intertwining from his shoulders down to his fingertips. 

“Sa-Sawamura san,” Shoyou said softly and wide-eyed. “Your arms!” 

Officer Sawamura didn’t seem as surprised as Shoyou was, nodding frantically towards the subway’s entrance. 

“We need to run, Hinata-kun! You’re in shock, you need to move!” commanded the Officer. “Up the stairs! I’ll follow behind you!” 

Shoyou scrambled to his feet and bolted towards the foot of the stairs. Officer Sawamura stepped backwards, reloaded his gun and unloaded several more shots into the creature, now howling with an unearthly, petrifying echo. 

“Stay where you are,” boomed a loud voice, as hundreds of ravens flew down the subway’s stairs. 

Shoyou stopped in his tracks, instinctively swatting away the birds and trying to shield his head. Hundreds more flooded in before Shoyou realised that the birds did not seem to notice him at all, and were instead flocking towards the creature. 

_“The train arriving on Platform 7 is directed towards Nerima,”_ announced the speakers on the subway walls. Strangely, however, the speech seemed to be slower. 

“Hinata-kun?” Officer Sawamura asked, his expression incredulous. “What’s happening?” 

“I— I don’t know,” Shoyou started loudly, but his voice dropped to almost a whisper as he watched the birds swarm and swirl around the creature. 

A dozen or two broke off from the flock and coalesced into the form of a dark-haired young man, about the same age as Shoyou. His hands were outstretched and his fingers contorted themselves into sharp and rough movements as if weaving threads in the open air. 

“You have felt the light of the divine once more,” The young man spoke, his voice resonating and echoing, amplified by the subway’s narrow walls. “Speak your name, Fallen one, and forever be at peace.” 

_“The train on Platform 7 is directed towards Nerima,”_ The speakers on the subway walls announced once again. This time, however, Shoyou was sure that the speech had slowed down considerably. 

Shoyou could only look on in awe as the ravens perched on the subway platform’s floor. The creature struggled but it remained trapped inside the circle of birds, the slimy substance it bled pooling upwards into a cylinder. It was like the creature was trapped in an invisible test-tube, set to drown in its own blood. 

The ground trembled beneath Shoyou, and the light of an incoming train flooded through the railway’s tunnels. In the face of this, the ravens simply remained perched, unfazed. 

“Speak your name, Fallen one or return to Tartarus.” The young man said again through gritted teeth. He tried to appear nonchalant with his hands in his jacket’s pockets, but through his gently quivering shoulders, Shoyou could tell there was tremendous effort weighing upon him. 

A hand shook Shoyou’s shoulder as he heard an agitated whisper. 

“We need to get out of here Hinata-kun,” said Officer Sawamura. 

Shoyou nodded and walked backwards from the young man, poised to run. He watched as the trapped creature whipped around violently, yet it could not break free of the circle of ravens. As they neared the foot of the stairs, he turned towards the Officer. 

“Let’s go, Sawa—,” 

“Hinata-kun! _Your_ eyes!” Officer Sawamura yelped, stepping back. “They’re glowing.” 

“What?” 

“Not so fast,” The young man said, turning to face towards the stairs. He narrowed his striking blue eyes at the pair. “You! With the glowing eyes, come closer.” 

Shoyou simply froze. 

“I said,” The young man sighed, twisting his fingers in Shoyou’s direction. “Come closer.” 

The floor shifted beneath Shoyou, the subway’s tiles moving fluidly like a conveyor belt. Strange symbols flashed on each one, and Shoyou almost lost balance as he was moved nearer to the young man and the circle of ravens. 

“Hinata-kun!” Officer Sawamura cried, pointing his pistol at the young man. 

“Save your bullets, Officer,” The young man said dismissively, before turning his attention towards Shoyou. “Now, how old are you? Fifteen? Sixteen?” 

Despite the strange things Shoyou had faced, he felt absolutely indignant. 

“I’ll have you know that I’m fucking nineteen, idiot,” Shoyou huffed, eyeing the young man. 

The young man, though initially surprised, had the audacity to sneer. 

“Oh, I’m sorry,” The young man said, not the least bit apologetic. “You’re just so short.” 

“Shoot him Sawamura-san,” Shoyou yelled, indignant. “Or I’ll kill him myself.” 

“Hinata-kun‽” 

“Now’s not the time for jokes,” tutted the young man. “Although I find it interesting you would use humour to cope with such an unearthly sight.” 

Shoyou had nothing to say. 

“Who are you?” demanded Office Sawamura, his fingers not leaving the trigger of his gun. “What is all this?” 

“Save your questions for later,” The young man dismissed him once again before glancing towards the inbound train. It inched ever so slowly towards the platform, the whir of its wheels and the squeak of its brakes saturating the air with a harsh cacophony. 

“We don’t have enough time,” The young man muttered. Without hesitation, he cupped Shoyou’s face in his hands and locked his eyes with the other’s. The young man’s other hand moved swiftly behind his back as if weaving more threads into the air. 

“W—what are you doing?” Shoyou’s eyes widened, and his cheeks deepened into a blush. 

The young man whispered a _‘Shhh’_. 

“Listen to me,” The young man cooed, and Shoyou felt all his muscles relax. “You’re going to stare inside the circle of crows, you can do that for me, right?” 

Shoyou whimpered. 

“It’s okay,” The young man continued gently. “I know it’s a horrifying sight, but all you have to do is stare at it. Come on now, do it for me?” 

Shoyou felt calm, eerily calm, as if in a trance. Somehow, the young man’s words sounded alluring to him. After all, what harm could it do to simply stare at the creature? A part of his psyche didn’t want to do it, wanted to fight back. 

But fight back against what exactly? 

_Irrational. Just do what you’re told_. Shoyou said to himself, although he wasn’t exactly sure whether those thoughts were his own. 

He knew exactly what was being asked of him, all Shoyou needed to do was agree; he _wanted_ to obey. 

So Shoyou turned towards the creature. He vaguely felt the hand around his cheek retract, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered now was to stare at the creature, the first time Shoyou could properly analyse what it looked like. 

It was vile. 

The creature was at least two-and-a-half metres tall, and from what Shoyou assumed was its mouth was sharp pointed teeth. Its face morphed between faintly human and the grotesque shadow of a wolf. Bright, ivory flesh-like coils tightened and loosened around the creature as if it wanted to bind itself. Its canine ears twitched inconsolably as if disturbed and its eyes were coloured like the leaf of a maple. 

“Look into the eyes of Athena,” The young man cried out, his voice like the wail of a raven, splitting into multitudes as it bounced off the subway’s walls. 

The creature spasmed, and howled, as if in great pain. Seemingly following the young man’s command, it locked its gaze with Shoyou. 

“Speak your name!” The young man yelled, and the creature strenuously opened its mouth. 

**_Fenrir_.**

The young man’s eyes widened. 

“Fenrir, Monster of the Ván River!” The young man closed his palms into fists as if pulling all the threads he had been weaving together. “In the name of Athena, I command you to rest.” 

The creature yelped and whimpered, brought down to its knees. 

Shoyou snapped out of his trance. What was he even _doing_? His stomach lurched as he found himself staring at the creature. 

“Sawamura-san!” Shoyou yelled, bolting towards the stairway. “Run!” 

Officer Sawamura’s eyes were wider than dinner plates, he stood frozen there, his fingers still on the trigger. 

“What are you—?” The young man whipped his head around, and Shoyou looked back to see a face of pure shock. There was something else there too, and Shoyou realised it was the same terror he was feeling now. 

The creature growled and at one fell swoop, it broke the circle of ravens. The subway tiles were smeared with blood, mangled flesh, and feathers. 

The young man screamed. 

“Hinata-kun!” Officer Sawamura stammered. “Look at him!” 

On his knees, clutching his bleeding shoulder, was the young man. 

The creature walked over to the young man, ready to pounce as the train fell back into tempo, slowing down in front of the platform with the squeal of its brakes. 

The creature opened its mouth. 

Shoyou clapped his hand to his mouth. 

Officer Sawamura shot, his arms still burning with ethereal, almost heavenly light. 

The young man spoke with the softness of a dying man’s last breath. 

“Hajime,” The young man pleaded. “I need you.” 

The creature stumbled back from the gunshot. The bullet wound on its side shimmering with intensity. The light seemed to penetrate its skin from the inside, spreading through whatever vessels carried the creature’s blood. 

The creature howled like a wolf. Its once unearthly voice abandoned. 

The subways walls lit up, sprawled with glowing Japanese writing. 

_“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, and will say, ‘Destroy!’”_

The creature shifted uneasily, and its body morphed between that of a man and that of a wolf. bursting at the seams of its veins with light 

_“For the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught.”_

The young man breathed a sigh of relief. Shakily, he got up on his feet and walked towards the creature. 

_“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”_

The creature stumbled and outstretched its humanoid hand. It looked to the young man with its once autumn coloured eyes, now fading to grey. The creature bared its teeth in what Shoyou thought was an attempt at a smile, one that spoke of relief, of bliss. 

Its gaze turned to Shoyou and Officer Sawamura as it fell on its knees. From its dull eyes streamed a flood of tears and a shining glimpse of hope and catharsis. 

**_Thank you._ **

“Be at peace, Fallen one,” The young man replied, as the train came to a screeching halt. 

The doors opened, and dozens upon dozens of people flooded out of the train’s carriages. To Shoyou’s surprise, they carried on with their business. Unaware of their presence, nor the young man’s, nor the blood on the floor, nor the writing on the subway’s walls, nor the glowing symbol on the tiled floor, as if recently branded by a hot iron. 

They continued, unfazed towards and up the stairs that would lead them to the business district. 

As for the creature, it was nowhere to be seen. 

“And the words of the prophets were written on the subway walls,” The young man muttered, shaking his head at the fading words. “You’re a nerd, Iwaizumi-san.” 

The young man turned towards Shoyou and Office Sawamura. 

“You two.” 

“What the fuck?” Officer Sawamura whispered, his voice shaky as he holstered his gun. “These people, they don’t see us?” 

“What is this?” Shoyou said in disbelief. “Who are you?” 

“You had better come with me,” The young man nodded towards the train. “My name is Kageyama Tobio, you must have many questions.” 

“What makes you think we’d come with you?” Officer Sawamura said, clutching Shoyou’s shoulder. A protective gesture. “I’m an officer of the law, I can take you to the station right now!” 

“But you won’t,” The young man, Kageyama Tobio, said simply. “Because I have answers.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh! I just spent half a day writing this! I'm super invested in this series and I'm looking forward to the future!
> 
> As always, please let me know if there are any appropriate tags I missed, and special thanks to Keo, my amazing, amazing Beta Reader, who inspires me to write! I put quite a few references in this chapter, and I'd love to see you guys find them!
> 
> I also really appreciate that you've read this far! Kudos would be greatly appreciated :)


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